the Philippines to act as a contingency reserve in the event any more assistance was needed or another disaster were to strike the area. South Korean ferry Sewol - 2014 In April 2014, the 31st MEU on board the USS Bonhomme Richard assisted in air-sea search and rescue operations of the Korean ferry Sewol that "sank near the island of Jindo off the southwestern coast of the Republic of Korea 16 April". Typhoon Soudelor, Saipan - 2015 From 2–3 August 2015, Typhoon Soudelor devastated the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Approximately 600 Marines and sailors of the 31st MEU responded to assist local and federal agencies with disaster relief efforts. Over the course of two weeks, the 31st MEU delivered more than 19,000 gallons of water and 47,000 individual meals provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to five distribution sites across the island. The Marines distributed an additional 366,000 gallons of potable water to the people of Saipan, 279,000 gallons of which were purified using a Lightweight Water Purification System and a Tactical Water Purification System. The 31st MEU also distribute more than 10,000 pounds of emergency supplies provided by the Red Cross. Operation Chinzei, Japan - 2016 From 15–17 April 2016, a series of earthquakes struck the Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto, causing 48 deaths and displacing some 100,000 people. At the request of the Government of Japan, approximately 130 Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU provided support to operations conducted by Joint Task Force Chinzei, led by the Japan Self-Defense Force. From 18–23 April, 31st MEU MV-22B Ospreys operating out of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, delivered more than 82,000 pounds of food, water, blankets, toiletries and other items to be distributed to earthquake victims. Defense Support of Civil Authorities, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, September–November 2018 During Fall Patrol 2018, the 31st MEU and CLB-31 provided assistance to the people of CNMI, a U.S. territory, after two devastating typhoons. On 10 Sept., Super Typhoon Mangkhut swept across CNMI, causing widespread damage to the islands of Rota and Saipan. The marines and sailors of the 31st MEU and CLB-31 then embarked aboard the and USS Ashland (LSD-48), began providing assistance to CNMI officials and FEMA as soon as the skies cleared over CNMI. During Mangkhut relief efforts, the 31st MEU and CLB-31, partnering with Amphibious Squadron 11, cleared roads and